Thursday, June 23rd, 2016
Motorcycle crash victim identified
By Ed Gebert
CELINA - Officials have identified the motorcyclist whose body was found Tuesday in a wheat field near state Route 29 as John William Lehmkuhle Jr., 59, of Delphos.
A Celina police investigation concluded the probable time of death as the early morning hours of June 11, 10 days before his body was discovered along the north side of the highway between Staeger and Havemann roads.
The last time a friend saw Lehmkuhle was at 2:40 a.m. June 11. At that point, the cyclist was reportedly leaving Delphos to travel to Celina.
"The cause of death has not been released. However, at this time, it appears the death is likely due to injuries sustained as a result of the traffic crash," a news release stated.
An autopsy was requested by Mercer County Coroner Dr. Timothy Heinrichs and performed by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.
Police believe the crash probably occurred during the darkest hours of the morning. Police have located no witnesses. Anyone with further information is asked to contact Sgt. Kent Taylor at the Celina Police Department at 419-586-235.
Lehmkuhle's body was discovered by a horse rider who had been riding in the wheat field owned by Linus Braun. The motorcycle apparently had been traveling westbound on state Route 29 where the road curves to the left. The motorcycle reportedly continued straight off the north side of the road and traveled into a ditch. It reportedly continued in the ditch for several hundred feet before striking a culvert which sent the rider and the motorcycle into the field. Lehmkuhle and the cycle were then obscured by the wheat.
